noomacity

“And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.  And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.  And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit.  And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”  But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”  And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.  And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this?  A new teaching with authority!  He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”  And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.”   Mark 1.21-28

Have you ever looked through a kaleidoscope?  You slowly turn it and various shapes and colors fill your view.  But in order for you to see anything, you must have a light source behind it—otherwise it’s all just dark.

In the same way, Jesus comes to a synagogue in Capernaum and begins to teach the people.  His teaching brings light—and suddenly for everyone present the experience becomes a living kaleidoscope.  New understandings and shades of meaning fill their minds, causing two kinds of uproar.

A man who is apparently possessed causes a disturbance.  Through him the demon cries out in protest at the presence of Jesus who silences it and casts it out.  The man is set free—and then just as suddenly as he appeared on the pages of Scripture he seems to forever disappear…

Next, we see the general crowd being amazed at the production that is unfolding before their eyes.  They’re amazed at the exorcism, but notice the height of their attention is given to Jesus’ authoritative teachings.  In this episode we are not given the content of what Jesus said, but it must’ve been exemplary and game-changing.

And that brings us to the key we need to unlock and apply this episode in the Gospel of Mark to our lives today.  In this story, Jesus is the X-Factor.  He is the unpredictable Game-Changer.  Basically, what he does is spectacular and amazing—and unexpected.

Does this mean that everything he will do in your life will be spectacular and amazing?  Yes and no…

“Yes” in the sense that in Christ you (like the man in the story) are now set free from the dark powers that saturate our world.  Negativity and toxic thinking no longer need to hold you captive.  Disappointment and despair no longer can hold you hostage.  Light has come to your darkness—even if at first it seems so bright that your eyes must squint a bit.

And “yes” in the sense that Jesus’ teaching continues in each of our lives—and that is nothing short of  amazing.  His teaching is not listed here because it continues even to this very moment.  By the Holy Spirit, he is guiding every person who has surrendered to follow him no matter what the cost.  This is truly amazing—something fresh and new for every day!

“No” in the sense that the man who was set free is apparently never heard from again—and we can only assume goes on his way, back to making a living and paying bills.  He has been set free—and in the Gospel of Mark one is set free for service.  Service to God sometimes is spectacular and crowd-gathering.  But more often than not, it is simple and mundane—doing everyday things as best as you can trusting that God is pleased with your dedication and faithfulness.

But think about that man for a second.  Perhaps he went back to a mundane or “normal” life.  Let’s say for a moment that he was a farmer.  He goes back to toiling in the hot son, planting, waiting, and finally harvesting.  On the surface nothing has changed.   But like the seed in the ground, everything has changed.

Now when he works, he does so out of thankfulness and joy.  He is forever thankful to Jesus for setting him free.  Now he can successfully work for the welfare of his family and community.  And he is laboring out of joy—knowing that he is contributing to the welfare of mankind by his work.

The amazing factor we must keep in mind is really simple:  sometimes how we define “amazing” is not how God does…

It might be amazing to be a great Bible teacher who wows the crowds with your teaching and erudition in Scripture.  But it could be more amazing that you are working out of thankfulness and joy every day, even in the “little things” that no one else seems to notice.

But the point is this:  God does take notice.  And just as we are the unseen spectator in this Gospel of Mark, so God is the Unseen Spectator in our lives.  He’s watching and reading every page—what will you write today in the story of your life?

Application Questions:

1.  If you were in the synagogue watching this story unfold, how would you have walked home differently—as a different person?

2.  In what ways do you need God to do “amazing” things in your life?

3.  In what ways do you need to redefine the word “amazing” in your life?

“Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”  And immediately they left their nets and followed him.  And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.  And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.”   Mark 1.16-20

When I was a kid, I often went fishing.  I remember standing on the shore and casting my line with great anticipation to see if I would catch anything.  I’d watch the bobber with frozen determination.  When the fish was nibbling at the bait, I learned how to be patient by allowing the hook to set—not react too quickly or it would get away.  And of course, I remember cleaning the fish I caught and preparing them for supper that night (not the funnest of things to do).

I wasn’t the world’s best fisherman, but one thing is clear for every fish I caught:  its life drastically changed, forever.

Back in Mark 1.14-15 Jesus said that for one to enter the Kingdom of God he/she would need to repent and believe.  Notice how this passage immediately follows as an illustration of this in action.  For these disciples, a real change of mind had to occur about their life direction and priorities.  They were now in the custody of Christ—and by comparison nothing else mattered.  James and John show how even one’s family of origin must take a back seat to Christ and his call for life ownership.

Think of your life right now.  How locked into your career are you?  What would it take to pack your bags and move across the country?  To a place where you really didn’t know anyone?  What about moving to a foreign country to work as a missionary?

But I fear that somewhere along the way, we’ve allowed our dreams to take the place of God’s dreams.  We’ve convinced ourselves that our good intentions are His intentions.  For us, God has become our Godfather instead of God our Father.

Mark wants us to see that sometimes the call of Jesus upon us is abrupt—and he deserves a sudden response.  In other words, our attitude about Christ and his call upon us is crucial to entering our destiny in his kingdom.

So what can we learn from this earth-shattering call of Jesus upon the first disciples?

• God has every right to call a disciple in any way He chooses
• Walking with God is worth more than anything we could give up
• Genuine followers of Christ are willing to give up what they have for a life of faith in Jesus
• Following Christ is not necessarily about tomorrow—it’s about today (even though we are assured of eternal life)
• Ultimately, God knows what is the best way for you to live your life—even when it may be disconnected from your training or past

As we think about following Christ, let’s remember the story of a particular request to David Livingstone (1813-1873), the famous missionary to Africa.  A missionary society sent him a letter asking, “Have you found a good road to where you are?  If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you.”  He wrote back, “If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them.  I want men who will come if there is no road at all.”

Application Questions:

1.  If you were working with Peter the day Jesus came by, how would you have reacted o his call?

2.  Do you think God really expects people today to “leave everything” to follow Him?  Why or why not?

3.  Are you more committed to your job than you are to the call of Christ upon your life?  Do you care more about your retirement than you do about bringing others into the kingdom of God?

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’”   Mark 1.14-15

I’ve always wanted to.  It can be really dangerous—but what isn’t?  Yes, people have died doing it, but you can almost say that about anything…  Ok, I’m talking about rock climbing.  I’m also talking about sky diving.  And scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef—and don’t forget about climbing Mt. Everest.

Inside we yearn to be free.  To be free from fear, to be free from chaos, and to be free to just do something that makes us feel, well, free!

So why would Jesus get it all mixed up—and take that desire for freedom away?  Doesn’t he want followers?  And doesn’t he want some kind of marketing appeal?  But as we’ll see, Jesus doesn’t do things the way we would expect them to be done—and that’s what makes him, um…Jesus.

Soundbites get people in trouble.  You’re walking by coworkers, and they hear you say, “…yeah, she is great disaster” when you really said “she is a great manager”…  Politicians have to be especially careful—because the media is looking for that golden soundbite that will boost readership and exposure (and the more scandalous the better!).

Jesus provides a soundbite that sums up his entire message—his singular view point—his holistic ministry.  In the Gospel of Mark, it’s the very first thing he says:  “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand:  repent and believe in the gospel.”

Notice a few things about this poignant message.

In verse 14 John the Baptist had just been arrested.  The Greek word behind the English translation for “arrested” is paradidomi.  It’s a word that means to be taken into custody; perhaps even condemned to die.

It also means ‘to be managed’ or taken care of.  It even refers to fruit being ripe, turning itself over into the farmer’s custody (see Mark 4.29).  But what’s interesting about this word is that it is used throughout the Gospel of Mark, most often referring to the times in which Jesus will be arrested and crucified.

Here is what we cannot miss.  To pair the word paradidomi so closely to Jesus’ soundbite in Mark 1.15 is no coincidence.  The Gospel writer is trying to tell us something…  Let’s try to decode this for us today.

It’s as if we need to realize that on one hand, really following Christ (true repentance and faith) is allowing God to arrest us and to take us into His custody.  This may sound negative, but it’s really bringing us back to where we belong—to what we were made for.  Remember, the problem in the Garden of Eden wasn’t our lack of freedom—but in having too much freedom (sort of—this could be another blog entry in the future).

However, the case could be easily made that in turning to God we actually GAIN freedom.  We are set free from the power of sin and death—and we gain the freedom to be more human than ever—to be free to become our true selves.

But I think Mark wants us to first realize that freedom is never free—and to have this kind of existential freedom requires us to truly belong to God—in His full custody and care.  In keeping with this understanding, Jesus wants us to realize that he must truly be the manager of our lives.  He is to be over every detail—not just our “religious side” but over our emotions, our relationships, our hopes, dreams, and yes, even our fears.

But just as a coin has two sides, there is another side to this soundbite being so close to the word paradidomi.  Remember the agricultural definition?  Mark wants us to realize that when we allow Christ to fully gain control of our lives, real fruit will ripen in us for God’s glory.  Fruit of inner peace and deep trust that ripen in no other way.

We can’t manufacture inner peace.  We can only trust in things, ourselves, and others to a certain point.  But when Christ gains full access, his light shines on us, seeds of faith sprout and bloom, and after a season, fresh fruit is born!

Perhaps this is the key to having genuine repentance and faith in Christ.  We must first allow ourselves to be arrested by Christ.  And unlike Judas who betrayed Jesus, we have the full assurance that Christ will never betray us.  Jesus was betrayed so we would never have to be.

This is how Jesus’ message begins in the Gospel of Mark.  The challenge is simple:  surrender your life to Christ.  It’s a kingdom that is not earned or built by your own power.  Instead, it is one in which you are allowed entry when you humble yourself and say, “Yes Lord, I need you.  Please take complete ownership of my life.”

Will you take this step today and experience the fruit of inner peace and deep trust that is the true freedom you were created for?  What’s holding you back?  If you’re not in God’s custody—then to whom do you belong?

Application Questions:

1.  Do you believe Mark 1.14 is connected to 1.15 as discussed above?  Why or why not?

2.  Is surrendering ownership to Jesus something you do once?  Or is it something that you revisit over and over again as you mature and go through different stages of life?

3.  What’s the hardest part about surrendering your life to Christ?  What’s holding you back?  What would your life look like if you surrendered in every way?